The present invention relates to a utility pole assembly including a cross-arm which provides support for electrical conductors. In particular, the present invention relates to a utility pole assembly including a cross-arm that is both insulating and supportive.
Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to a cross-arm assembly of ceramic bricks or blocks which are manufactured from essentially non-conducting material, the scope of the present invention is not so limited and may extend to other applications of the bricks or blocks and cross-arm assembly and to other forms of the support assembly.
Cross-arms for utility poles, such as those carrying electrical conductors and insulators, are most usually made of wood and are provided with metal fittings. The wood deteriorates in time, caused by water impregnating the matrix of the wood thus destroying its structure. In addition, the wooden poles when wet or impregnated with moisture can be electrically conductive, particularly so when metal fittings are used to secure the cross-arms. Thus, existing cross-arms of power poles have at least two deficiencies, that of premature ageing and deterioration necessitating replacement at a high cost of both labor and replacement materials, and that of the unwarranted conduction of stray currents to undesirable parts of the pole assembly which presents a safety problem since it may cause shock or other injuries to operators or people in the vicinity of the poles.
Therefore, it is an aim of the present invention to at least provide a cross-arm assembly or cross-arm element which at least alleviates one of the problems of prior art cross-arms or cross-arm elements.